A field blend is a wine made from several grapes in the vineyard. These grapes are generally grown together in the same vineyard and harvested at the same time. Unlike commonly seen winemaking practices where individual grape varieties are harvested, fermented, and then blended later, field blends are created by co-fermenting different grapes right from the vineyard.
The field blend concept is not new. In the early days of winemaking, when vineyard management was not what it has transformed to be today, landholders harvested and co-fermented because it was the natural thing to do.They needed to simplify harvesting, and more importantly, they needed reliability. Planting several varieties at once in the vineyard, in and amongst each other, meant that if one did not survive, the remaining three would. With that said, I can't help but think there is something romantic about paying homage to yesterday and making wine like the vino obsessed who came before us.
Why Choose Field Blenders White?
I often turn to field blends when doing pairing events. Field blends often offer complex flavour profiles on the palate, as each grape plays a role in cementing the finished product. Moreover, because it is a field blend, additional care is often applied to these wines in the winery during fermentation and aging, given the room for nuances with various varieties fermented together. Achieving the right balance among different varietals requires careful planning and experience. If not executed well, the resulting wine may not showcase the best characteristics of each grape.
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